A mechanistic model of two-phase pressure drop in microchannels

Brandon S. Field, Pega Hrnjak

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

A mechanistic model of two-phase pressure drop has been developed for microchannel flow. The primary flow regimes observed in microchannel two-phase flow regime maps were the inertial dominated regime (annular flow) and the surface tension dominated regime (slug or bubbly flow). Mechanistic models of pressure drop for each of these regimes are developed and compared to pressure drop in microchannel flows of four different refrigerants with widely varying fluid properties: R134, R410A, R290 (propane) and R717 (ammonia) of varying hydraulic diameters between 70 microns to 305 microns. The mechanistic model compares favourably to the experimental pressure drop data from microchannel flow measurements with an overall mean deviation of 18.1%. The model is also compared with refrigerant-oil flow of R134a and two different weights of POE oil, using fluid property correlations developed for those mixtures, with a mean deviation of 18.9%. While this accuracy is not stellar, the significance is that no empirical coefficients were needed to close the model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationFluids and Thermal Systems; Advances for Process Industries
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Pages411-419
Number of pages9
EditionPARTS A AND B
ISBN (Print)9780791854921
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
EventASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2011 - Denver, CO, United States
Duration: Nov 11 2011Nov 17 2011

Publication series

NameASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2011
NumberPARTS A AND B
Volume6

Other

OtherASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2011
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityDenver, CO
Period11/11/1111/17/11

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Mechanical Engineering

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